Sunday, July 22, 2007

Iranian public not buying Government's cooked "confessions"

According to AFP the Iranian public objected to the televised confessions of the Iranian-Americains in custody charged with espionage and intentions to spark a "velvet revolution".

Islamic Republic spokeman Gholam Hossein Elham was defending the broadcast:" It was necessary that the nature of the cultural onslaught was exposed...This was required for informing the public. It is nothing people are unaware of. But their beliefs have now been documented by real evidence." He went on to try to persuade the public that the confessions were not coerced:" For those who say that the statements were made under pressure, their appearance shows that these were natural comments."

However the public was not buying what the government was trying to sell. Newspapers, recently faced with harsh punishments for speaking out, objected anyway.

The statement of Iran's main reformist party, the Islamic Iranian Participation Front, was as follows:"

"Such programmes are no use in clarifying anti-Iranian moves by US officials ... by airing such programmes one cannot divert public opinion from the numerous mistakes and failures resulting from the government's work."

Fars News Agency also had comments for the government:"A 'Velvet Revolution' normally happens in a dictatorship where it is not possible to implement the people's free and fair opinion through free elections. This is why the best way to assure the durability of the Islamic system is democracy."Hambastegi Daily also questioned the governments actions:

"We must accept that the era of televised confessions is over. If these people are spies then why are the ones who gave them classified information not introduced and detained? Would it not be better if the national media introduced these people as opponents of the Islamic republic after their intentions to oppose and overthrow have been proven in court?" it asked